The Long, Hot Summer [RETIRED]

Prologue

A/N: I'm trying my hand at toxic love, but with my own spin. Let's see where this goes...

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There are a set of events that every person looks forward to, and maybe for various reasons, but it doesn't take away from the anticipation: The day you turn 16, 18, and then 21, of course every birthday is important, but to a teenager turning into a young adult those are the most important, the day they move out on their own, and most importantly, the day they graduate high school. And that's the event that has everyone experiencing bittersweet moments of celebration and joy. Mothers crying tears of joy and reminiscing on the years leading up to this day, fathers with the look of utmost pride to see their children finally reaching this day, and the sheer joy of the teachers and students; students rejoicing in the realization that this chapter of their life has now closed and they are now adults, no longer having to worry about class projects or homework, at least for the ones who didn't have college looming ahead in the following months, the teacher's rejoicing for the same reason, not to mention the shared joy about one fact:

Aside from random run-ins at a grocery store or a Walmart, they'll never have to see each other again.

Hundreds of caps had just descended from the air, declaring the former students as new young adults, and now everyone had begun to join together, the huge football field once filled with only students, teachers and other members of the school administration now had the families of the students to add to the mix as the exited from the stands to find their respective graduate for hugs and photos. In the middle of the field were the Knowles family: Tina Knowles and her youngest daughter Solange, who would be going through this again in three years. The patriarch of the family, Mathew was not in attendance, having left the family earlier in the year for his assistant, but it was for the better, because even when he was around, he still wasn't around. The ladies actually preferred that he didn't show up at all, for his absence was a hundred times better than his presence. They had just joined the eldest Knowles sister, Beyoncé, after finding her in the sea of black caps and gowns, and they were so overjoyed in this moment.

"Oh! Look at my Baby, a high school graduate! I'm so proud I could cry!" the older woman gushed, tears brimming her eyes and threatening to fall.

"Dang Mama, relax, it's just a high school graduation, not Harvard," Solange said with a bored look.

"Solo hush! This is a big deal, whether you think it is or not, I'm gonna be acting the same way when your time comes. Come on Beyoncé! Let's get some photos of you and your friends to commemorate this day," Tina said taking her small digital camera out of her purse.

"Ooh, bet! Aye, Tey and Meg, come take a few pictures with me right quick!" The younger, yet identical new graduate called out to her best friends.

"Oooh, I wanna be in the picture too Baby!" Nicki, Bey's "girlfriend" exclaimed as she latched on to Bey's arm, much to Tina's displeasure, but she quickly masked it with a smile as she turned on the camera and got it ready. Megan and Teyana had walked over and they grouped together for a photo, Megan and Teyana on both sides of Beyonce with Nicki holding her tight in the middle with the biggest smile on her face.

Tina began to take the photo, but before she could she stopped and frowned, "Wait something's missing," she said looking around, before the biggest smile gracing her face once she laid eyes on me, "Michelle! Come get in the picture!" she insisted, making Nicki's smile drop, and Bey's smile brighten up before contorting into a smirk.

"Yeah Chelle, come take a picture with me- I mean us," Bey added, quickly correcting her intentional mistake. She looked me deep into my eyes, instantly making me blush.